Blackstone School Mold Issue No Surprise, Some Parents Say

BLACKSTONE (CBS) - Elementary school students in Blackstone will start the new school year in unfamiliar surroundings, thanks to mold in their classrooms.

New superintendent Jason DeFalco emailed parents Thursday about mold discovered at the Augustine F. Maloney Elementary School. "The district is working diligently to remediate the situation and open AFM as soon as possible," DeFalco wrote. "We are in this together!"

For multiple parents who spoke with WBZ News, the email was no surprise.

Mother Carolyn Blanchette long suspected a mold issue at the school because of her daughter Cherylyn's chronic health issues.

"I knew it," Blanchette said. "I've been saying this for three years." Her 10-year-old daughter Cherylyn has been taken out of school and hospitalized for respiratory issues several times since the second grade. She missed so much school one year that she had to take summer classes.

Blanchette said she reached out to school administrators and the local health department multiple times, but felt her years of complaints "just kind of fell on deaf ears."

An employee at the Blackstone Health Department said no representatives would be available to speak on the issue until Monday. The current superintendent started his role on July 1st, and told WBZ News he can't comment on issues prior to his tenure.

The state Department of Public Health said regular mold examinations are not required by state law in Massachusetts public schools. "Individual towns and school districts can perform inspections of schools on their own for issues such as mold," wrote spokesperson Omar Cabrera.

Superintendent DeFalco says the mold in Blackstone was discovered as building crews were preparing for the new school year. In an email to WBZ, he said "the health and safety of students is a top priority."

Carolyn Blanchette said she's happy the mold issue is finally being addressed. "I'm glad it's going to be corrected," she said.

She has no way of knowing if mold really caused her daughter's illness, but hopes its removal will mean a healthier fifth grade year for Cherylyn. "I wish [they] would've listened to me three years ago and corrected the problem so my child or other children didn't have to experience this," she said.

The superintendent says cleanup can take anywhere from 7 to 11 days. In the meantime, displaced students will be shuttled to nearby schools with available classroom space.